The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has explained that the planned restriction of movement in and out of the state would ‎commence by 1:00 am tomorrow.He spoke in Benin City, after a combined security meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to the IGP, the restriction would include a lock-down of all highways and inroads into the state.Idris, who was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, Joshak Habila, said the police would conduct “semi-temporary checks” on vehicles and persons passing through the state.

He ‎said the police had done the crime mapping of flash points in the state to ensure adequate monitoring and arrest of electoral offenders.Idris added that besides the deployment of 25,000 personnel and patrol vehicles, the police air wing would deploy helicopters to provide aerial surveillance and four gunboats in the riverine areas.

He said: “We have on ground, a large number of men from the special anti-robbery squad, the police mobile force, tactical operations squad and men from the force intelligence bureau.

“From now, they would patrol in the three senatorial districts to look out for would-be troublemakers, some of who the police had captured their behaviour when they did a crime analysis.”He said the police had shared information with other security agencies and was ready to ensure that no body was allowed to truncate the system.

He dismissed the allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the police connived with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to interfere with the process.“We are responsible for the security and safety of materials and everybody that is concerned with the election. It is the INEC that would conduct the election. So, we do not have any opportunity to tamper with the process,” he said.
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On his ‎part, the Commander, 4 Brigade, Brig. Gen. Raji Benbela, disclosed that a total of 1,900 military personnel would participate in the exercise.He added that it would deploy two drones in each of the three senatorial districts and six gunboats in the riverine areas.

He said the military would cordon off adjoining routes to the polling units to ensure that untoward elements, criminals, or people who want to cause confusion are not allowed.He said: “‎The Nigerian Army would play a supportive role to the security agencies. Should there be issues or security challenges beyond the control of the security agencies, the military would, of course, be activated to take care of such situations.‎”